Abstract

The organizational climate (OC) gives an overview of the perception of the working environment of the organization members. This paper presents a methodology for improving human resource policies, designed to be used in construction companies. It includes an organizational climate diagnosis tool (organizational climate), especially designed for the Chilean construction industry. This methodology was developed with companies that were implementing Lean Construction in order to monitor the impacts of the implementation. Initially, through a bibliographic study the organizational climate dimensions were documented according to the existing literature. In second place, through questionnaires and interviews applied to a group of professionals, the most representative parameters of the Chilean construction industry were selected. Finally, the tool was validated both statistically and qualitatively. Based on the results of data analysis, five parameters were selected as the most representative indicators of construction industry organizational climate: quality of information; role definition for each one of the team members; occupational risks, availability of the superior to listen and help, and fulfilling commitments. This methodology is composed by few simple steps, which can be easily implemented. It is expected that this methodology will make possible the development of organizations, and it has been tested only for the Chilean construction industry, and that is the reason why it is only valid under these circumstances.

Founded in 1993, the IGLC is an international network of researchers from practice and academia in architecture, engineering, and construction (AEC) who feel that the practice, education, and research of the AEC industry have to be radically renewed in order to respond to the global challenges ahead.